Cusack Music PBT6 Switcher, PBT9 Switcher Owner's Manual

A Programmable Pedal Looper available in 6 or 9 Loops.

With so many useful features standard, it’s all

you need to Tame your Pedal Board!

User’s Guide

Pop Stop Version

Updated 02/19/13

www.cusackeffects.com 494 Lincoln Ave, STE 10, Holland, MI 49423 [phone]

Meeting the PBT

This section gives a brief description of the face of the PBT. There are many ways to configure your PBT. Please refer to
the “Configuring Options Inside the PBT” section for more details on configuration options.

Com Link: An RJ-11 jack that allows multiple PBTs to be chained together. There is also one on the Input side of the PBT.

Please refer to the “Linking Multiple PBT Devices” section for information on using multiple PBTs.

Audio Output: The output jack is a TRS jack, allowing for stereo configurations. An internal jumper must be set to use the

stereo functionality of the PBT.

Output Buffers: The Output Buffers are connected to the stereo output jack. With the toggles to the right, there is no

buffer, and the output is True Bypass. With the toggle to the left, there is a buffer on the output. These may be selected
independently.

Off/MECH Switch: Either turns off all active Loops and Presets, or toggles between Mech mode and Preset mode,

depending on your configuration settings.

Preset/Loop Foot Switch: Activates a Preset or a Loop, depending on the mode.

Loop LED: Indicates if the corresponding LOOP is active.

Preset LED: Indicates if the corresponding PRESET is active.

LEFT
BUFFER
SELECT

RIGHT
BUFFER
SELECT

Output & Last Loop Section

COM
LINK

AUDIO

OUTPUT

OFF/

MECH

SWITCH

LOOP

RETURN

PRESET/LOOP

FOOT

SWITCH

LOOP
SEND

LOOP

LED

LOOP &
PRESET

NUMBER

PRESET

LED

9VDC In: Power supply input. The PBT uses a standard 9VDC pedal power supply. Current draw is about 50 mA during idle

conditions. If switching many loops at once, there may be a brief (5ms) spike of up to 500 mA.

Guitar Input: The input jack is a TRS (Tip, Ring, Sleeve) jack, allowing for two inputs using a standard TRS or Y cable. You

can A/B the two inputs using the Tuner A/B Switch.

Input Buffer: The Input Buffer is connected between the Input and Loop 1. With the toggle to the right, there is no buffer,

and the input section is completely True Bypass. With the toggle to the left, there is a buffer between the input and
Loop 1.

Tuner Out: Connects to the input of a tuner.

Tuner A/B Switch: The Tuner A/B Switch toggles the where the inputs go. Please see the “Using the PBT” section for

more details.

Tuner LED: Indicates if the status of the Tuner function

Mech Mode LED: Indicates if the PBT is in Mech Mode.

Tap Tempo Switch: The Tap Tempo Switch is a momentary switch that connects to three RCA Tap Jacks on the back of

the unit. These are each pulled to ground by the switch through a diode. The three outputs can be routed to most ef­fects that have an external Tap Tempo input, such as the Tap-A-Whirl, Tap-A-Phase, etc.

Loop Send: Connects to the input of your effect pedal. Loop Return: Connects to the output of your effect pedal.

GUITAR

INPUT

9VDC

IN

TUNER

A/B

SWITCH

COM
LINK

TUNER

LED

MECH
MODE

LED

TAP

TEMPO

SWITCH

RCA TAP

JACK

LOOP

LED

LOOP &
PRESET

NUMBER

PRESET

LED

PRESET/LOOP

FOOT

SWITCH

LOOP

RETURN

LOOP
SEND

Input, Tuner, and First Loop Section

BUFFER
SELECT

TUNER

OUT

Operating the PBT

The PBT can operate in one of two modes, Mech Mode and Preset Mode. Some configuration options allow for a
combination of these two modes. The way to toggle modes is determined by your configuration settings. Please refer to
the “Configuring Options Inside the PBT” section for more details on other options.

Wiring: The PBT is very easy to set up. Plug your power supply into the 9VDC Input, your guitar into the Input jack and the

Audio Output jack goes to your amp input. The input of your effects pedal connects to the Send (up arrow) of a Loop,
the output of the pedal goes to the Return (down arrow) of a Loop. Repeat this for all the Loops. If you are not using a
Loop, we recommend using a small patch cable to connect the Send and Return in case that Loop is activated, unless
you would like to use that Loop to mute the audio. Effects need to go in the order you would normally use them, the
PBT does not change the order of effects.

The Difference between Loops & Presets: There are 6 or 9 Loop/Preset boards in the PBT depending on the model

purchased. A “Loop” is associated with the send and return jacks which are connected to an individual effects pedal. A
“Preset” is a programmed combination of any or all of the Loops.

Mech Mode: When the red Mech Mode LED is illuminated, the PBT is in Mech Mode. Mech Mode allows the Pedal Board

Tamer to mimic the function of a standard mechanical looper. While in Mech Mode, each Loop acts as an independent
loop. Pressing the associated foot switch will directly turn that Loop on and off. When active, the blue Loop LED will
illuminate. The amber Preset LEDs will not illuminate in this mode since Presets are not applicable.

Preset Mode: Preset Mode allows you to program preset combinations of effects. In this mode, the Preset Switch does

not specifically link to the Loop is it associated with. Pressing any of the Preset foot switches will activate that preset,
the Loops that are assigned to that Preset, and also the Tap Tempo will change if one is set for the preset. The amber
Preset LED corresponding to the Preset Switch selected will illuminate, as well as the blue Loop LEDs of the Loops that
are active in that Preset.

Programming Presets: Programming Presets is a simple process:

A. Press and hold both the “ALL OFF” and “TUNER” switches at the same time until all the Amber Preset LEDs

start to flash (about 3 seconds).

B. Press the Preset Switch to be programmed; The selected Preset LED will illuminate, along with the Loop LEDs

programmed to that Preset.

C. Use the foot switches like Loop Switches to turn on or off the Loops desired for the preset.

D. Press the “ALL OFF” switch once to program another Preset Switch, or twice to exit Programming Mode.

E. Rock On!

Tuner A/B: Pressing the Tuner foot switch activates the Tuner A/B function. Mono input: The signal is routed to the

Tuner Out and the Audio Output is muted whenever the Tuner LED is lit. Stereo input: The ring is routed to the Tuner
Out and the tip is routed to the Loops when the Tuner LED is off. Pressing the foot switch will light the Tuner LED, route
the ring to the Loops and the tip to the Tuner Out.